Koch–an 86-year-old former three-term Democratic mayor from New York City, who famously killed his gubernatorial campaign by trash-talking the quality of upstate New York’s food during an interview with Playboy–is obviously key for King’s G.O.P. nomination.

While the actual Republican field struggles to capture the public imagination, the Long Island congressman seems to be having fun with all the attention Mondello brought his way. King–who built something of a national profile with his controversial hearings on Muslim radicalization earlier this year–said he’s received lots of supportive letters and emails.